With the recent growth in drone activity, the desire to capture airborne objects has also increased. Numerous designs for capture mechanisms exist, including nets and other types of ensnaring devices. Although the precision with which a vehicle carrying such a device can be operated keeps advancing, it is still desirable to have a relatively large capture area (e.g., a relatively large net) to maximize the probability of capturing the target. The current state of the art consists of two capture mechanism categories: dragged and projected.
A dragged mechanism, such as a net or similar, is hung below the carrying aircraft, which performs a flyby attempting to ensnare the target. In order to keep the net deployed, a counter-weight is used to act against the aerodynamic drag of the net. The amount of counter-weight can easily be a significant fraction of the total aircraft weight and significantly reduces the performance of the carrying aircraft. Deployment typically consists of a latch mechanism that holds the counter-weight close to the aircraft body until the ensnaring mechanism is needed.
Projected systems use a propellant, such as compressed gas or gun powder, to launch the capture mechanism forward. These launching mechanisms can be quite large and heavy relative to the carrying vehicle's base weight. Further, these capture mechanisms only allow one capture attempt per deployment, and it is also possible for the carrying aircraft to fly into the projected capture mechanism once it is launched.
What is needed is an improved way to carry and deploy a net that may be used to capture a target object, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle.